WE come now to a new chapter, the next titled Preparation.
WE have previously reviewed the topics of Faith, Time, Acceptance, and Purpose in Principles of Spiritual Growth. Like knowing God’s “purpose,” each one of these principles are important in understanding the various aspects that go into developing a healthy and consistent Christian life. Regarding the importance of knowing our “purpose,” we see that if we understand what God is doing to bring us into conformity to Christ (Rom 8:29 and 2Cor 3:18), we will understand that there is a consistent, on-going, never-ending process of reshaping us taking place. This process is occurring at the very core of our character, and at times may be very painful though necessary.
WHEN an artist was asked once how he was able to take a rough piece of marble and change it into a beautiful work of art, statue of a human figure, his response was, “I just take a hammer and chisel and chip away, removing everything that doesn’t belong there.” Paul writes in Gal 4:19: My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. This process of forming Christ in us takes time, takes faith, takes knowing that we are accepted in the beloved no matter what the circumstance. It also takes “preparation.”
UNLIKE a lifeless inanimate slab of marble in the artisans’ hands, we are not passive and will resist the hammer blows and chisel cuts that go into removing all that is not Christ. This is what this chapter addresses. Preparation is needed for what is to come, what is needful for us to grow in Christ. Yes, we need to give heed to this important topic along with the others under review.
In the wondrous blessings of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa. 30:15 & Job 2:10
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Chapter 5—Preparation
Once we know His eternal plan and purpose for us, plus His method of preparation and process to that end, there is rest and confidence. Now it so happens that God’s basic ingredient for growth is need. Without personal needs, we would get nowhere in our Christian life. The reason our Father creates and allows needs in our lives is to turn us from all that is outside of Christ, centering us in Him alone. “Not I, but Christ” (Gal. 2:20).
For both our growth and our service it is all essential that we see and understand this principle, which J. B. Stoney sets forth in a sentence: “The soul never imbibes the truth in living power but as it requires it.” As for our growth, needs cause us to reach out and appropriate by faith, from our Lord Jesus, that which we require. And in the matter of service, in witnessing and helping others, we must watch and wait for the hungry, the needy heart, if there is to be abiding fruit. Again Mr. Stoney says, “The true value of anything is known only when it is wanted.” It has been rightly said that wisdom and philosophy never found out God; He makes Himself known to us through our needs; necessity finds Him out. It is doubtful if we have ever learned anything solidly, except we have learnt it thus.
In this light, our needs are invaluable! We must face up to the fact that without spiritual hunger, we cannot feed on the Lord Jesus Christ. From our personal experience Matthew 5:6 should mean much to every one of us: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” ….to be continued.
